Apparatus for treating hydrocarbons



Aug. 29, 1933. w R HowARD APPARATUS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBONS Filed March 4, 1927 INI/ENTOR. l/am ward ATTORNEY.

Patented ug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE APPARATUS Fon` TREATING HYDROCARBONS William R. Howard, Washington, '1); C., assignor to Universal Oil Products Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of South Dakota v Application March 4, 1927. Serial No. 172,839 1 Claim. V(Cl. 196`107) This application is in part a continuation of my application Serial Number 567,034, filed June 9, 1922, since eventuated in Patent No. 1,627,436.

This invention relates to improvements in process and apparatus for treating hydrocarbons, and

refers more particularly to a processgand apparatus for obtaining lower boiling point products from heavy oils by subjecting the latter tothe action of heat and pressure. I

l0 My invention relates specifically to a proces and apparatus for the treatment of oil under heat and pressure wherein the vapors are forced to pass through the heated liquid in a secondary still before passing out through the, vaporline,

and provides forr a ,process whereinthe'liquid through which the vapors are forced to pass,

may consist of the reflux condensate collected in an inner still in the main distilling apparatus,

and one in which this reflux liquid, if desired,

may be kept separate from the liquid in the primary distilling apparatus but subjected to the same heat and pressure as the liquid in the primary still for redistillation.

The single figure in the drawing is a side elevational view of the apparatus showing my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 designates the primary st ill or reaction chamber which may be of the vertical type shown, or, if desired, may be of the horizontal type. This reaction chamber 1 is connected with a heating coil 2 by the transfer line 3, controlled by valve 4, forming in effect the well-known tube and chamber type `of conversion process. The coil 2 may be heated by means of burner 5 in the furnace 6. Inside the reaction chamber 1 is mounted a vertical elongated closed shell 7 of smaller diameter and height, to which is attached at the top a vapor line 8, which vapor line extends through the Walls of the primary chamber 1. Extending from the lower portion of the inner chamber 7 is a pipe 9 which leads to a point in the top of the reaction chamber 1 and preferably above any oil liquid level which may be maintained in reaction chamber 1, as shown at A. This pipe 9 terminates as shown at l0. The inner closed shell 7 may be supported by one or more swinging rods or in any other well-known manner not shown. Near the bottom of the inner shell 7 is a drawoif line 11, controlled by valve 11a for withdrawing the liquid therefrom, and having its inner end submerged in the liquid in the shell 7, and its outlet connected through line 12, controlled by valve 13, to a receptacle or tank not shown. The still 2 is provided with a charging line.14,. controlledf by valve 15 on which is interposed a pump 16. yThe liquiddrawoff line 11 from still 7 is provided with a branch 17, icontrolled by valve 18, which is connected to a pump 19, controlled by valves 20, and which 60 connects in turn with the charging line 14. Pump 19 can be by-passed through line 21, controlled by valve 22, byproper manipulation of the valves. By manipulating the valves 13 and 18, if desired, I the liquid flowing from the shell 7 may be di- 65 rected back to the main stream of oil passing throughthe tubes 2 and' primary reaction chamber 1 by closing valve 13 and opening valve 18. Thiscirculation maybe enhancedby use of the lpump 19. The outer chamberjl is provided with 70 manholes 23 and at its lower portion withvresiduum drawoii lines 24, controlled by valve 25. The vapor line 8 which is controlled by valve 8a connects to the lower portion of a reflux condenser or dephlegmator 26 which is pro- 75 vided with line 27, controlled by valve 28 leading from the top of said dephlegmator to a condenser 29, which is in turn connected with receiver 30 through line 31, controlled by valve 32. The a, receiver 30 is provided with pressure `relief pipe 39 33, controlled by valve 34, and liquid drawoff lines and 36, controlled by valves 37 and 38. Liquid level gauges and pressure gauges 39 and 40 are also provided on the receiver.

The main charging line 14 is also provided with 85 a branch 41, controlled by valve 42, connected with the upper portion of the dephlegmator 26. The bottom of the dephlegmator 26 is connected with the upper portion of the inner shell 7 by vmeans of a line 43, controlled by valve 44. Lines 11, 43, and 8 pass through the shell of the chamber 1 through suitable nozzles as diagrammatically shown at 45.

The operation of the process is as follows: The oil is charged through heating tubes 2 where it 95 it is heated to a conversion temperature, and thence discharged through line 3 into reaction chamber 1, where this oil separates into vapors and unconverted oil. The latter is preferably continuously discharged through residuum drawoffs 24 in such a manner that the level of said unvaporized oil in reaction chamber 1 is kept below the outlet end of the pipe 9, such as indicated at A. As the vapors are formed above the .r liquid level A they will be forced into the pipe o 9, through the inlet 10 entering the inner shell 7. As these vapors increase, they pass from the inner shell 7 into the vapor line 8, into the dephlegmator 26, where they are subjected to dephlegmation in the usual manner. The uncondensed vapors from dephlegmator 26 pass through line 27 into condenser 29 and therefrom into receiver 30. The various valves shown, control said generated pressure throughout the entire system, and valve 34 is preferably used to regulate the operating pressure.

As the heavier vapors are condensed in the dephlegmator 26, they will ow back through the line 43 into the inner shell 7. The liquid, which is returned and maintained in inner shell 7, passes out therefrom through the overflow pipe 11 and through pipe 12 and valve 13, to a tank (not shown), or with valve 13 closed and valve 18 opened may be returned to the system into the heating tubes as above described. The vapors which are forced through pipe 9 are forced to bubble up through the liquid in the inner shell 7, thus cleansing the vapors and allowing the lighter vapors to pass to the dephlegmator 26, forming a better product. The inner shell 'l being immersed in theliquid or vapors, or both, inside the reaction chamber 1 is maintained at a constant high temperature and it will be seen that the reux condensate is further converted and the vapors therefrom forced back through the dephlegmator, condenser, or receiver before the reflux admixes with the oil to be treated through heating tubes 2 and without admixing with the contents of the reaction chamber 1.

However, if it is desired, a portion of the raw oil to be treated can be passed through line 41 into dephlegmator 26 where it may be relieved of its lighter fractions and the preheated raw oil follows the reflux condensate in its passage 43, Vshell 7, and line 11.

The system is preferably maintained under equalized pressure throughout, and the pressure may be from 300 to r100 pounds, more or less, or the various valves and pumps shown permit them to maintain diierent pressures on the Various parts of the system.

If desired, and to allow maintaining a differential pressure between the dephlegmator 26 and the reaction chamber 1, a hot oil pump may be interposed on the reflux line 43. The oil may be heated in heating coil 2 to a temperature of from 750 to 1000 F., and this temperature is maintained Without substantial loss in reaction chamber 1 Which, for this purpose, is preferably insulated.

I claim as my invention:

An apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil comprising a heating coil disposed within a furnace, a reaction chamber, means connecting the heating coil and reaction chamber, a dephlegmator, means for supplying charging oil to said dephlegmator, a collecting chamber disposed within said reaction chamber, means for passing charging oil from the dephlegmator to said collecting chamber to accumulate in said collecting chamberin heat interchange relation with liquid oil delivered to the reaction chamber from the heating coil, means for passing vapors evolved in the reaction chamber through the accumulated oil in said collecting chamber to the dephlegmator, and means for returning'liquid oil from the collecting chamber uncommingled with unvaporized'oil from the reaction chamber to the heating coil.

. WILLIAM R. HOWARD. 

